Current affairs : September 13, 2016
Cabinet approves creation of GST Council and its Secretariat
The Union Cabinet under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved setting up of GST Council and setting up its Secretariat as per the following details:
- Creation of the GST Council as per Article 279A of the amended Constitution;
- Creation of the GST Council Secretariat, with its office at New Delhi;
- Appointment of the Secretary (Revenue) as the Ex-officio Secretary to the GST Council;
- Inclusion of the Chairperson, Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC), as a permanent invitee (non-voting) to all proceedings of the GST Council;
- Create one post of Additional Secretary to the GST Council in the GST Council Secretariat (at the level of Additional Secretary to the Government of India), and four posts of Commissioner in the GST Council Secretariat (at the level of Joint Secretary to the Government of India).
The first meeting of the GST Council will be held on September 22-23 in the national capital.
Cabinet clears extradition treaty with Afghanistan
In a bid to boost security and legal cooperation with Kabul, the Union Cabinet cleared the Extradition Treaty with Afghanistan for signing and ratification.
- The treaty would provide a legal framework for seeking extradition of terrorists, economic offenders and other criminals from and to Afghanistan
Bilateral Technical Arrangement between India and Switzerland
The Union Cabinet has given its approval for signing of the Technical Arrangement between India and Switzerland on the identification and return of Swiss and Indian Nationals and its implementation.
- Conclusion of the Bilateral Technical Arrangement (BTA) has been linked to the Visa Free Agreement for holders of Diplomatic passports as a package deal.
Pulse buffer stock to be increased to 20 lakh tonnes
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the proposal of the
Department of Consumer Affairs for increasing the buffer stock to 20 lakh
tonnes. It will be built through domestic procurement and imports of 10 lakh
tonnes each.
- To create the buffer stock, domestic procurement would be done by the
Food Corporation of India, the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing
Federation of India (NAFED) and Small Farmers’ Agriculture-Business
Consortium (SFAC) or any other agency decided by the PSFMC at the
prevailing market prices, if they are above the minimum support prices
(MSP), and at the MSP, if otherwise.
- The State governments may also be authorised to make the procurement in a manner similar to the decentralised procurement of foodgrains.
Centre issues fresh guidelines for flexi-fund for CSS
The government has issued fresh flexi-fund guidelines that will give more freedom to states in spending money under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) to meet local developmental requirements.
- Under the new norms, flexi-funds in each CSS has been increased from the current 10% to 25% for states and 30% for Union Territories.
The Union Cabinet has given its expost-facto approval for the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Kenya on cooperation in the field of National Housing Policy Development and Management (NHPDM).
- The MoU was signed in July, 2016 at Nairobi during the visit of the Prime Minister of India.
Aadhaar must to avail rail concession:
The Indian Railways has taken decision that, it mandatory for senior citizen passengers to provide their Aadhaar numbers to avail concessions on rail tickets.
- To begin with, senior citizens will be able to get ticket concessions only through Aadhaar from December this year.
- At present, male senior citizens can avail 40 per cent discount on ticket fares and female passengers 50 per cent reduction on ticket fares on all trains including Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duronto. Railways provides 53 such concessions, including those for the differently-abled and patients, incurring a loss of Rs.1,500 crore every year.
Cabinet nod for expanded trade with China, APTA
The Union Cabinet has approved a move for exchange of tariff concessions under the Asia Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA), towards expanding trade ties with five nations in the region, including China.
- Asia Pacific Trade Agreement or APTA (formerly the Bangkok Agreement) is an initiative under the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP) for trade expansion through exchange of tariff concessions among developing country members of the Asia Pacific Region.
Cabinet approves establishment of Higher Education Financing Agency
- The HEFA would be jointly promoted by the identified Promoter and the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) with an authorised capital of Rs.2,000 crore. The Government equity would be Rs.1,000 crore.
Third Phase of Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme (TEQIP)
- The Project will be implemented as a ‘Central Sector Scheme’ with total project outlay of Rs. 3600 crore.
- External assistance from the World Bank through International Development Association (IDA) is also being given.
- The project will be implemented with the facility of Direct Funds Transfer to the accounts of beneficiary institutes.
- The Focus States are 7 Low Income States (Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh), 3 Hill States (Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Uttarakhand), 8 North-Eastern States (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura) and Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Cabinet approves BSF cadre review
The Union Cabinet has approved the cadre review of Group ‘A’ executive officers of the Border Security Force (BSF). This will lead to creation of over 370 additional posts of high ranks.
- To increase the operational and administrative capabilities of the BSF. The last review was done almost a quarter century ago.
- The sanctioned strength of the BSF, founded in 1965, is 2,57,025, with 186 battalions (including three of the National Disaster Response Force).
Centre inaugurates national fair in Bengaluru
Union Minister of State for Ayush (Independent Charge) Shri Shripad Yesso Naik and Union minister for Fertilisers and Chemicals and Parliamentary Affairs Shri Ananth Kumar inaugurated the National Fair on comprehensive Indian Medicine system (AROGYA) in Bengaluru.
- The two days BRICS Wellness Workshop and AROGYA fair is being organized by the Ministry of AYUSH, in collaboration with Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS).
Govt launches toll-free number for postal complaints
The government today launched a toll-free number 1924 to register postal complaints.
- It will initially be operational for 12 hours on working days and has been started in Hindi, Malayalam, and English. Notably, Department of Posts (DoP) is the 8th largest department in terms of the number of complaints.
Joint Indian-US army exercise
‘Yudh Abhyas 2016’ to begin in Uttarakhand
As part of the ongoing
Indo-US defence cooperation, a joint military training exercise, ‘Yudh Abhyas
2016’ is set to be conducted in Uttarakhand from September 14 to 27.
- The exercise in Chaubattia was being conducted by the headquarter Central Command.
Indo-US Economic Summit from September 13
The 2-day Indo-US Economic Summit will begin in New Delhi on September 13.
Leaders from business, government and academia from both the countries will participate in the summit.
Leaders from business, government and academia from both the countries will participate in the summit.
- They will deliberate on ways to enhance bilateral trade and investments between India and the US.
Vidya Balan Brand Ambassador
of Samajwadi Pension Yojana
Bollywood actress Vidya
Balan appointed as brand ambassador of the ambitious Samajwadi Pension Yojana
by Uttar Pradesh government.
- The actor who had earlier been associated with the "ghar-ghar shauchalya" campaign of the Union government will be seen campaigning about the scheme in the coming months.
- The main Objective of the scheme to encourage savings among people living below the poverty line and provide them financial assistance.
World’s longest bullet train network established in China
World’s longest bullet train network length of 2000kms established by China Railway. Construction of the line started in December 2012
- The line has 9 stations and trains run at a speed of up to 300 kph.
- China is conducting feasibility study to build the bullet train track between Chennai and New Delhi.
Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa removed as Arunachal Pradesh governor
Governor of Arunachal Pradesh Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa was removed from the post of Arunachal Pradesh Governor.
- The V. Shanmuganathan, Governor of Meghalaya has been given the charge of Arunachal Pradesh by President Pranab Mukherjee .
Pakistan appoints Wasim Bari
as manager of national cricket team
Former Pakistan Test captain
Wasim Bari has been appointed as the new manager of the national team for the
coming ‘home’ series against the West Indies in the UAE.
- 68-year-old Bari, who played 81 Tests and 51 ODIs, has also served as chief selector and chief operating officer in the board.
Subramanian Swamy was awarded
‘Tamil Ratna’ in US
BJP leader Subramanian Swamy
has been honoured with ‘Tamil Ratna’ award by a body of Tamil diaspora in New
York for fighting corruption and working for more transparency in the
functioning of the government.
- Recently, A R Rahman also received Tamil Ratna award.
Bhattacharya, Kochhar among
most powerful women outside US
India’s top women bankers, SBI chief Arundhati Bhattacharya, ICICI head Chanda
Kochhar and Axis Bank CEO Shikha Sharma, are among the 50 most powerful women
based outside the US, according to a list by Fortune, which is topped by
Banco Santander’s boss Ana Bot.
- Bhattacharya, 60 is ranked second on the list, while Kochhar comes in at the fifth spot and Sharma in the 19th position in Fortune’s ‘50 Most Powerful Women International’ list, which has ranked the women based outside the US.
Ex-PM Cameron decided to quits Parliament
Britain’s former Prime
Minister David Cameron announced that, he was resigning from his seat in Parliament
to avoid becoming a distraction for his successor.
- Currently,He representing his constituency in Oxfordshire area in central England.
New Miss America:
Savvy Shields , who
represented Arkansas in the pageant, won the crown as Ms. America in Atlantic
City.
- She topped a field of 52 contestants to win the crown and the title of Miss America 2017, succeeding the outgoing Miss America Betty Cantrell.
Deepa Malik becomes first Indian woman to win medal at Paralympics
India’s Deepa Malik created history by becoming the first ever woman from the country to win a medal at the Paralympics.
- With the win, she confirmed India’s third medal from the Rio Paralympics. She will receive a cash award of Rs 4 crore under Haryana Sports Scheme for winning the silver medal.
